Radial plain bearing for grease lubrication



Sept. 1, 1936; N, A PALMGREN 2,053,203

RADIAL PLAIN BEARING FOR GREASE LUBRICATION Filed Sept. 20,1935

' INVENTOR. Nils Arvid Palmgren Patented Sept. 1, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RADIAL PLAIN BEARING FOR GREASE LUBRICATION fabriken, Goteborg, Sweden, a corporation of Sweden Application September 20,1935, Serial No. 41,483 In Sweden October 20. 1934 4 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in radial plain bearings for grease lubrication and has for an object to provide within a bearing of this type a reservoir for containing a. supply of cone 5 sistent lubricant and means for automatically circulating such consistent lubricant toward and away from the sliding surfaces of the bearing.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bearing comprising outer and inner bearing rings formed with mating sliding surfaces with a reservoir for containing a supply of consistent lubricant and provided with means contained within the rings for automatically circulating such consistent lubricant from the reservoir to 16 the sliding surfaces within the bearing and from thence to the reservoir.

Another object of the invention is to supply a plain radial bearing with side enclosures fitted in a lubricant proof manner to the outer ring of I 20 the bearing and rotatably sealing against parts of the inner ring lying on a smaller diameter than is the diameter of the sliding surface of such inner ring.

Another object of the invention is to provide lubricant channels in the inner ring connecting its sliding surface to the lubricant reservoir, the sides of such sliding surface being in communication with the reservoir.

Modern plain bearings made to comply with hydrodynamic laws have hitherto almost exclusively been designed for oil lubrication. A consistent lubricant, however, offers very important advantages from a practical point of view, partly because a grease of suitable composition simultaneously acts as a lubricant and a protection against the intrusion of foreign particles into the hearing, and partly because a grease does not escape.

reconveyed to this chamber after having lubricated the sliding surface. The bearing comprises substantially an inner bearing ring, provided with a sliding surface on the outside, an outer bear- 55 ing ring, on the inside of which is a sliding surthe sliding surface from a grease chamber and} mils-sure face fitting the inner ring, and side discs fitted in a lubricant proof manner to the outer ring and rotatably sealing against parts of the inner ring which lie on a considerably smaller diameter than the sliding surface of the inner ring, whereby the side discs and bearing rings are designed to form closure members for the lubricant, and lubricant channels are provided in the inner ring which connect the sliding surface to the closure members.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure l is a side view of a radial plain bearing for grease lubrication according to one embodi- 1 ment of the invention,

Figure 2 is a sectional view or the same bearing in an axial plane. I

Figure 3 is a side view of a bearing according to another embodiment of the invention, and

Figure 4 is a section in an axial plane of the 20 bearing according to Figure 3.

In Figures 1 and 2 the inner ring i is shown of relatively high I-form in cross section. On the outside of the outer flanges 2 and 3 of. the inner ring is a cylindrical sliding surface. To this slid- 25 'ing surface fits a corresponding sliding surface,

formed on the inside of the outer ring 4. On the outer ring 4, two closure members 5, 6 are applied in such a manner that the lubricant cannot pass between the members and the'outer ring. The 39 members 5, 6, extend inwardly towards the hearing center and have flanges I, B, which form movable seals against the outside of the inner flanges 9, III of the inner ring, there being a narrow space I between the flanges 1, 8,0! the closure members and the flanges 9, I 0, of the inner ring.

In the web H of the inner ring a number of holes I 2 are formed, and holes l3 inthe outer flange of the inner ring lead from the holes [2 to the sliding surface. The closure members which are of annular cup form with the bottoms outwards form a tight chamber or reservoir around the bearing rings, which in practice is filled with grease. This chamber communicates with the sliding surface through holes l2, IS in the inner ring, and with the sides of the sliding surface for supply and exhaust respectively.

The grease chamber or reservoir enclosed between bearing rings and side discs is of annular form and is located nearer the bearing center than is the sliding surface. The rotation of the inner ring causes part of the grease to follow the rotation of the ring and thereby to be pressed out through the holes I: by the centrifugal force to the narrow space between the inner and outer 5 ring, where a load carrying lubricant film is formed according to the hydrodynamic laws. Owing to the pressure in this film, the grease is gradually pressed out against the sides and returns automatically to the grease containing chamber. The grease will consequently automatically circulate under the action of the centrifugal force and the bearing pressure, withoutthe axial width from the bottom of one side disc to the bottom of the other side disc is greater than the axial width of the bearing rings. By this means a considerably larger supply of lubricant is assured in the bearing.

In the bearing according to Figures 3 and 4, plane thrust taking sliding surfaces are provided along the sides of the outer flanges 2, I. They .bear against pressure rings It, II, which are supported by the spherical sliding surface of the outer ring 4. These rings are located inside the grease closure and do not disturb the desired grease circulation.

Having thus described my invention,'I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A radial plain bearing for grease lubrication comprising an inner bearing ring having a sliding surface on its outer periphery, an outer bearing ring having a sliding surface on its inner periphery fitting the surface of the inner ring, and closure members located on each side of the bearing,

sealingly fixed to the outer ring and movably sealing against portions of the inner ring which lie on a substantially smaller diameter than the sliding surface of the inner ring, the closure mem- 'be'rs forming a closed reservoir chamber present- --ing annular chambers communicating on both sides with the space between the sliding'surfaces, the parts forming annular chambers, channels or the like located laterally of the inner ring,

there being grease channels formed in the inner aosaaos ring extending from the reservoir chamber to the sliding surface and opening at the sliding surface intermediate of the ends thereof for throwing the grease by centrifugal force to the sliding surface whence it is moved by hearing pressure back to the reservoir, in order to cause a continual circulation of the lubricant within the bearing.

2. A radial plain bearing according to claim 1, characterised thereby that the inner ring is of I-section and that the closure members seal against the outside of the inner flanges thereof.

3. A radial plain bearing according to claim 1, characterized thereby that the closure members consist of annular lubricant proof cups, the bottoms of which are turned outwardly from the middle plane of the bearing.

4. A radial plain bearing for grease lubrication comprising, an inner bearing ring having a sliding surface on its outer periphery, an outer bearing ring having a sliding surface on its inner periphery fitting the surface of the inner ring, and closure members located on each side of the bearing, sealingly fixed to the outer ring and.

face intermediate of the ends thereof for throw-, ing the grease by centrifugal force to the sliding surface whence it is moved by bearing pressure back to the reservoir, in order to cause a continual circulation of the lubricant within the bearing, the closure members consisting of annular lubricant proof cups the bottoms being turned outwardly from the middle plane of the bearing and the axial width over the bottoms of such members being greater than the axial width of at least one of the bearingrings in order to accommodate an increased supply of lubricant in the bearing.

Nns ARVID PALMGREN. 

